Unreal Engine 5 Games Struggle on Steam Deck | Performance Woes Unveiled
Edited By
Liam Chen
A wave of discontent is rising among gamers as recent Unreal Engine 5 releases, including Stalker 2, Avowed, and the Oblivion remaster, face performance issues on the Steam Deck. Players are voicing frustration over graphical quality and optimization shortcomings, raising questions about future releases.
Context: Unreal Engine 5 and Its Challenges
Gamers have noted that Unreal Engine 5 games often exhibit poor performance without using FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution). Many find that even with FSR, graphics suffer at lower resolutions. In contrast, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, a 2025 title, is praised for its solid performance on the same platform.
Main Themes Emerging from the Discussion
Engine Limitations: Several players argue that the forced use of Lumen in Unreal Engine 5 leads to poor visuals. Technicians assert that developers have control over these settings.
"Lumen is not forced. Nothing is," said one developer, affirming that game optimization is key.
Development Challenges: Amid complaints about performance, some industry insiders claim on tight timelines for optimizations can lead to compromised final products.
"The problem is that the dev teams are likely given bare minimum time to actually optimize before release," reported one user.
Hardware Requirements: The Steam Deck's capabilities are also in the spotlight. At a price point of €420, players are reminded that its specs may not handle demanding games optimally.
"I mean it’s a €420 handheld welcome to PC gaming," remarked a commenter.
Sentiment Patterns
The overall sentiment appears negative, highlighting dissatisfaction with performance and optimization standards in UE5 games. Many commenters point out that while Unreal Engine 5 can produce stunning visuals, it often fails to deliver smooth experiences without significant effort from developers.
Key Insights
◼️ Several titles underperform on Steam Deck due to heavy engine demands.
◼️ Developers often face tight schedules affecting game optimization.
◼️ Some users find settings like resolution reduction and Intel XeSS can improve performance.
The stakes are high as gamers look towards upcoming releases like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. With Unreal Engine 5's mixed reputation, will the latest games finally meet expectations, or will they merely add to the increasing list of poorly optimized titles?